The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of Swiss Patent Application No. 2001 1208/01, filed on Jul. 2, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a particular element made from brick material for application in the manufacture of prefabricated wall and ceiling panels for housing construction.
2. Description of Related Art
Elements of this type made from brick material are known from practical use and from patent literature. In particular, EP 0 921 243, represents the state of the art which is closest to the present invention. This document discloses an element made from brick material, its application and how it is possible to achieve a whole series of important advantages therewith. This element has a U-shaped cross-section with a base and two wings. The base as well as the wings have at least one longitudinal opening which each pass through the whole length of the element. The element has two outer sides with one side having a protrusion and the other side having a recess of complementary form. This design is suitable for forming a slide-in joint over the whole length of the element. Moreover, the two face sides of the element are inclined with respect to the plane extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the element, at least over a portion of their surfaces.
Experience has shown that this U-shaped element, even if it permits achievement of the advantages cited in EP 0 921 243, still presents a number of disadvantages. These disadvantages are to be overcome with the help of the present invention. For example, this known element does not permit the achievement of a strong connection. At the connection point, shown in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8, the resulting layer of concrete mortar proves to be relatively thin. Another weak point of the known element is that, if panels with superimposed elements are produced, as shown in a cross-section in FIG. 8, the cross-section area for the passage of a tube for appliances, which is not brought into contact with reinforcing rods, turns out to be small and the resulting cross-sectional areas of concrete and steel are thus weak. Furthermore, the longitudinal bores extending through the whole length of the elements each have an insufficiently small cross-sectional area for the arrangement of e.g., an electric switch box.
As a result of these limitations, only a small number of panel types can be realized using the known element and they are applicable only for housing constructions of up to three floors.
The invention provides an element made from brick material which can be used to produce more robust panels. These panels can in turn be used for housing structures of up to six floors. The element is also more flexible than the conventional element in that it may be used in a variety of applications. This flexibility also permits the element to be used in the production of other products such as, e.g., cases for roller shutters, beams, lintels, etc. Furthermore, the design of the instant element will be less expensive, because of the shorter drying phases which are required to produce them. These objectives have been achieved owing to the studies and the research on the system proposed. The element is the product of a re-valuation of the application of the known materials, and was developed with cost reduction in mind and using the new technology of modular prefabrication. Thus, the invention provides an end product with better characteristics of profits and quality.
Studies on the characteristics and the behavior of clay have permitted the formulation of new details, all achieved using one single component, which is easy to apply in industrial processes.
The element is such that time required for building constructions using them are optimized. Such may be made independent of meteorological conditions, particularly during winter times, so that transport problems can be eliminated.
The present invention also permits building without limits concerning the styles of buildings or their structural requirements. The element is flexible enough to create many structures.
The invention also provides for a brick material building element that includes a base comprising a length, a first side, a second side, an inner surface, and an outer surface, whereby a width is defined by a distance between the first side and the second side. A longitudinal protrusion is formed on the first side of the base. A longitudinal recess is formed on the second side of the base. A main protrusion extends from the base. The main protrusion comprises a surface which is shorter than the length of the base. At least one longitudinal through opening is disposed in at least one of the base and the main protrusion. The longitudinal protrusion comprises an external shape which is complementary to and adapted to fit within the longitudinal recess of another brick material building element.
The main protrusion may comprise at least one inclined end. The at least one inclined end may extend from the base to the surface of the main protrusion. The at least one inclined end may comprise two inclined ends. Each of the two inclined ends may extend from the base to the surface of the main protrusion. The main protrusion may be centrally positioned on the inner surface of the base. The main protrusion may comprise a first inner inclined surface and a second inner inclined surface. The main protrusion may comprise two longitudinal through openings. Each of the base and the main protrusion may comprise at least one longitudinal through opening. The main protrusion may be centrally located with respect to the width of the base.
The base may comprise a plurality of longitudinal through openings and the main protrusion may comprise at least one longitudinal through opening. The building element may further comprise at least one wall separating at least two of the plurality of longitudinal through openings in the base. The base may comprise at least two longitudinal through openings and the main protrusion may comprise at least two longitudinal through openings. The building may further comprise at least one wall separating at least two of the plurality of longitudinal through openings of the base and at least one wall separating the at least two longitudinal through openings of the main protrusion. At least one of the walls may have a thickness which is less than a width of at least one of the longitudinal through openings. The at least one of the walls may have a thickness which is less than a width of at least one of the longitudinal through openings.
The main protrusion may comprise a height which, when measured from the inner surface of the base, is approximately equal to a distance between the inner surface of the base and an outer surface of the base. Each of the longitudinal protrusion and the longitudinal recess may comprise tapered surfaces. The main protrusion may comprise at least one inclined end and an angle xcex1 of inclination may range between approximately 30xc2x0 to approximately 75xc2x0. The length may range between approximately 50 cm to approximately 100 cm. The width may range between approximately 30 cm to approximately 60 cm. A height xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d may be defined by a distance between the surface of the main protrusion and an outer surface of the base, and the height may range between approximately 10 cm to approximately 28 cm.
A height xe2x80x9chxe2x80x9d of the base may be defined by a distance between the inner surface of the base and an outer surface of the base, and the height h may be approximately equal to half of the height H.
The building may further comprise an insulating material disposed with the at least one longitudinal through opening. The insulating material may be adapted to improve a K value of the element. The insulating material may comprise a thermal insulation material. The main protrusion may comprise at least one recess. The surface of the main protrusion may comprise at least one recess. The main protrusion may comprise at least one V-shaped recess. The surface of the main protrusion may comprise a plurality of V-shaped recesses. The main protrusion may comprise at least one recess whose depth is approximately equal to half a distance between the inner surface of the base and the surface of the main protrusion. The at least one recess may be adapted to receive at least one of a reinforcing member and mortar.
The invention also provides for a method of building a structure using a plurality of brick material building elements which each comprise a base comprising a length, a first side, a second side, an inner surface, and an outer surface, whereby a width is defined by a distance between the first side and the second side, a longitudinal protrusion formed on the first side of the base and a longitudinal recess formed on the second side of the base. A main protrusion extends from the base, the main protrusion comprising a surface which is shorter than the length of the base, at least one longitudinal through opening being disposed in at least one of the base and the main protrusion, wherein the longitudinal protrusion comprises an external shape which is complementary to and adapted to fit within the longitudinal recess when the brick material building element is fitted to another brick material building element. The method comprises arranging at least two brick material building elements near each other and connecting the at least two brick material building elements using at least one of a mortar, a cement and a concrete.
The method may further comprise forming at least one of a cases for a shutter, a roller shutter, lintels, a pilaster, a wall, a floor and a ceiling. The arranging may further comprise arranging at least one element adjacent another element to form a single layer structure. The method may further comprise at least one of attaching and incorporating an insulation material into the single layer structure. The arranging may further comprise arranging at least one element adjacent opposite another element to form a double layer structure. The method may further comprise at least one of attaching and incorporating an insulation material into the double layer structure. The method may further comprise forming a structure which has a high degree of earthquake resistance. The method may further comprise incorporating at least one reinforcing member into the mortar, the cement or the concrete.
The invention may be used in a variety of structures including the following three basic building types:
As a panel which is formed with one layer for interior separating walls, for exterior walls, or for ceilings. The type of structure would of course depend on the quantity and/or type of concrete mortar and on the quantity and/or type of reinforcing iron applied.
As a double layer panel which may be useful for load bearing interior and exterior walls, which may be insulated or non-insulated.
As sandwich type panels of various nature and design. These may be obtained by joining single layer panels, or by placing intermediate insulation layers into and/or between a double layer panel.
Based on these three basic configurations, up to six different basic panel types can be obtained, and up to twelve different types of panels.
Furthermore, it is possible to produce the following structures with the element:
Cases for shutters (roller or lamellae).
Inserts of all types for mounting fittings.
Recesses for appliances.
Pilasters, load bearing beams, and lintels.
Using the proposed system the following advantages can thus be obtained:
Standardized production of wall or ceiling panels.
Obtaining heavily reinforced cross-sections of concrete mortar inside the recesses obtained owing to the joining of the elements made from brick material, characteristics most important in seismic zones.
Installing, or inserting respectively, conduits inside the openings obtained by joining the elements made from brick material, where sufficient cross-section areas of cement mortar remain.
Obtaining joints between panels completely integrated with reinforcing iron and cement mortar.
Realizing completely homogeneous load bearing structures built up using only one sole basic element type.
Reducing manufacturing time of the panels prefabricated in the factory owing to the dimensions chosen for the basic element.
The elements made from brick material according to the present invention can be assembled without any special equipment or machinery being required other than the normal equipment applied in prefabrication operations.
The system is competitive with respect to cost compared to the traditional building methods owing to lower cost, and above all, owing to the reduction in building time.
Using the invention, it is even possible to build a complete structure of a housing unit of about 800 m3 within just ten days.
The development of the inventive element also has created a base to elaborate a projecting method proper with all architectural building procedure details, from the basement to the roof, including finishes. This is achieved without limiting to specific types of building styles, which in most cases is implied if known prefab methods are used.
All the structures are interlocked in a horizontal direction as well as in a vertical direction and can also be applied as substitutes for traditional reinforced concrete structures.